World knows Saudis support terrorists worldwide: Iran at UN

A Yemeni child recites a prayer by the graves of schoolboys who were killed while on a bus that was hit by a Saudi-led coalition air strike on the Dahyan in the province of Sa’ada, September 4, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

Iran has hit out at Saudi Arabia for its false terror support accusations against Tehran, saying it is no secret to the world that the Riyadh regime, itself, backs terror groups worldwide as ex-US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, once confirmed in a leaked memo.

Abbas Golroo, Iran’s representative to the United Nations General Assembly, delivered a speech to the Assembly in condemnation of Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, who recently took the podium at the same body to level a fresh set of allegations against the Islamic Republic.

Jubeir spoke of what he called Iran’s “terrorist activities and aggressive behavior” and claimed that achieving peace in the Middle East required “deterring Iran’s expansionist and destructive policies.”

Golroo dismissed the Saudi minister’s claims as “strange and outlandish.”

“Everyone knows that the one responsible for terrorist attacks in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are all aware that they are the main supporters of Daesh and al-Qaeda,” he stated.

The senior Iranian diplomat further reminded the Saudi regime of WikiLeaks’ release in 2009 of a memo which Clinton had compiled, saying the then American secretary of state “is said to have stated that Saudi Arabia is the greatest donor to terrorist groups around the world.”

Additionally, he cited the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), a law that allows US citizens to sue Saudis in American courts for the country's involvement in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Golroo pointed to Iran’s assistance to regional nations in their fight against terror groups, saying the Islamic Republic’s counter-terrorism efforts are well known to the world.

The official further highlighted Riyadh’s backing for Washington’s pressure campaign against Iran, saying such hostile policies are “nothing new.” The kingdom, he said, moves to destabilize the region by pumping petrodollars and propping up the terrorists whenever it sees its interests at stake.

History, Golroo added, remembers Saudi Arabia’s hostility towards regional nations and governments, including its support for former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s carnage of Iranian people during the eight-year war on Iran in 1980s.

The Iranian diplomat also referred to the crimes the Saudi regime – along with a coalition of its allies – has been perpetrating against the Yemeni nation, showing the Assembly photos of the Yemeni children, who were killed in one of the Saudi military’s air raids that hit a school bus back in September.

“Everyone knows very well. It is an open secret that the Yemeni nation, this noble and oppressed nation, is suffering as a result of the direct machinations and maneuvers of Saudi Arabia,” he added.

“The minister of foreign affairs of Saudi Arabia is accusing my country of destabilizing the region as if the kingdom of Saudi Arabia was a strong proponent of stability. May I ask whether the destruction of Yemen, the murder of women and children of Yemeni civilians is lending something to stability?” he exclaimed.

“You say that you’re defending the Arab identity,” the Iranian representative said, addressing the Saudis. “Should Arab identity be used as a cause or pretext to carry out proxy wars…You’re not defending the Arab identity. You’re killing the Arab identity with your dollars. You have no pity for anyone in the Arab World. You have no pity for any Arab people, including those, who are supposedly you allies.”

Golroo also rejected Saudi claims that Yemen’s popular Houthi Ansarullah movement is defending the country with Iran-made ballistic missiles, saying it would have been impossible to deliver such hardware to Yemeni forces due to Saudi Arabia’s all-out blockade of the Arabian Peninsula state.

He then slammed European arms sales to Saudi Arabia, saying those weapons fall into the hands of the terrorists who are wreaking havoc across the region.

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